It has been 26 days since the July 25th deadline imposed on Vince Chowdhury to resign from the Jefferson County Board of Education by his fellow members. Finally after 25 days of digging in his heels and ignoring the the public's demand for his resignation, Vince has given notice that he is resigning from the Jeffco School Board effective August 21st. It is about time he decided to listen to the citizens of Jeffco and let the school district move on with the important business of educating children.
We, the organizers of the recall campaign, are grateful for all of the community and media support that we received throughout this time. We hope that this process has demonstrated to the students of Jeffco that a small number of people can make a difference. We stood up and took a stand against a domestic abuser and others rallied behind us. Societal injustices need leaders that are willing to put their busy lives aside and do something about them. Victims need advocates who are willing to expose their abusers and protect others from them. That's what Jeffco's anti-bully programs are all about. Protecting others, solving problems non-violently and taking responsibilities for one's actions. Vince's actions and words set a terrible example for the students of Jeffco but hopefully these students saw the bigger picture over the last few months.
With Vince's resignation, the recall campaign's work is finished. It's sad that the Jeffco Board of Education members, the Jeffco School District, the citizens of Jeffco, and Vince's family had to suffer through the last 25 days. We wish Kathy Chowdhury and her two daughters all the best as they move forward and begin to heal from this experience. Our hearts have been with you throughout these past two months.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
More People are Talking about the Convicted Abuser
Colorado Independent has more on how someone convicted of 3rd degree assault on his daughter could still get 596 votes. Goes to show that even Mickey Mouse could get votes if his name were on the ballot.
What were people thinking? Maybe they hadn't heard about the Jeffco school board member, and former candidate for HD 22 in Littleton, who slapped and allegedly choked his daughter--all because she didn't open the garage door!
I guess it's up to you to show Vince Chowdhury what people think by attending the next Jeffco school board meeting on Thursday, Aug. 21st.
Beginning at 3 p.m. the board will be discussing "school board issues" (that's code for "Vince") and then consulting their attorney. My guess is, no rock will go unturned by the three Jeffco school board members who have asked for Vince's resignation already.
The regular meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. Be there!
What were people thinking? Maybe they hadn't heard about the Jeffco school board member, and former candidate for HD 22 in Littleton, who slapped and allegedly choked his daughter--all because she didn't open the garage door!
I guess it's up to you to show Vince Chowdhury what people think by attending the next Jeffco school board meeting on Thursday, Aug. 21st.
Beginning at 3 p.m. the board will be discussing "school board issues" (that's code for "Vince") and then consulting their attorney. My guess is, no rock will go unturned by the three Jeffco school board members who have asked for Vince's resignation already.
The regular meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. Be there!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The People Have Decided
It looks like "the people have decided" not to support Vince Chowdhury in his Jeffco House District race. What a surprise that Chowdhury was soundly defeated after his arrest on June 17th for domestic abuse and subsequent guilty plea on July 8th to 3rd degree assault on his 16 year-old daughter!
Now perhaps Chowdhury will comply with the Jeffco School Board's request to resign from the Jeffco Board of Education. We've heard lots of whining from Chowdhury about "issues" he has with those who are demanding his resignation from the school board. It is time for him to stop the "Everybody has pretty much destroyed my life." and own up to his own actions. The citizens of Jeffco have made it pretty clear that his future as an elected official is now over.
Now perhaps Chowdhury will comply with the Jeffco School Board's request to resign from the Jeffco Board of Education. We've heard lots of whining from Chowdhury about "issues" he has with those who are demanding his resignation from the school board. It is time for him to stop the "Everybody has pretty much destroyed my life." and own up to his own actions. The citizens of Jeffco have made it pretty clear that his future as an elected official is now over.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Oops, He Did it Again
By now we've all read the comments that Vince made in an interview with the Columbine Courier last week. After weeks of silence, Vince Chowdhury finally came out of hiding and spoke at length with a reporter, giving us all an insight into his thought process. First, let me state that Mr. Chowdhury should be commended for having a 21-year-marriage in which "he has never had any problems whatsoever". Perhaps once Vince leaves the school board he could spend his free-time writing a marriage guide book for us all to follow. Although if the final chapter ends in a protective order and divorce proceedings, I doubt it will hit the best-seller list.
In all seriousness, however, Vince claims that only a handful of people are asking him to step down. Let us all remind him that that this "handful of people" includes his entire board, whom he has deliberately chosen not to respond to. He indicated that he hasn't responded to Scott Benefield, Jeffco School Board President, because they have "issues". How does a school board member effectively represent his district if he can't even pick up the telephone to answer a simple question from a fellow board member?
I'm quite sure most of his supposed "issues" with the current board president stem from the fact that Vince has actively campaigned, lobbied for, begged and pleaded for the position of board president since he came on in 1999. In the entire time that this "most experienced member of the board" has served, he has never once been able to convince his peers that he should be board president. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride I suppose....
This "personal and family matter" is much more than that. His lack of anger control is a serious flaw in his character that violates the very Student Conduct Code and Jeffco Public Schools Safety Plan that Vince Chowdhury was elected to uphold. This man assaulted his own daughter (a current Jeffco student) and threatened his wife (a current Jeffco teacher) that "she would be next". He then violated a protective order twice and falsified his arrest record by providing his wife's work phone number instead of his home and work phone number. A man who has been convicted of assault and court-ordered to attend parenting and anger management classes does not deserve to be sitting on the Jefferson County School Board.
The students of Jeffco are closely watching this role model to see how he is handling his "fall from grace"(as he calls it). Will he accept the consequences of his actions by resigning as his board members have publicly and formally asked him to do? Or will he continue to even acknowledge the board's formal request of him? As a parent of two sons whom I have raised to respect and value women as well as men, I know what path I'd like him to take.
The Jeffco school board has worked tirelessly to gain the public trust and continue to improve its schools. What the board doesn't need or deserve is a distraction like Vince Chowdhury interfering with their future progress.
In all seriousness, however, Vince claims that only a handful of people are asking him to step down. Let us all remind him that that this "handful of people" includes his entire board, whom he has deliberately chosen not to respond to. He indicated that he hasn't responded to Scott Benefield, Jeffco School Board President, because they have "issues". How does a school board member effectively represent his district if he can't even pick up the telephone to answer a simple question from a fellow board member?
I'm quite sure most of his supposed "issues" with the current board president stem from the fact that Vince has actively campaigned, lobbied for, begged and pleaded for the position of board president since he came on in 1999. In the entire time that this "most experienced member of the board" has served, he has never once been able to convince his peers that he should be board president. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride I suppose....
This "personal and family matter" is much more than that. His lack of anger control is a serious flaw in his character that violates the very Student Conduct Code and Jeffco Public Schools Safety Plan that Vince Chowdhury was elected to uphold. This man assaulted his own daughter (a current Jeffco student) and threatened his wife (a current Jeffco teacher) that "she would be next". He then violated a protective order twice and falsified his arrest record by providing his wife's work phone number instead of his home and work phone number. A man who has been convicted of assault and court-ordered to attend parenting and anger management classes does not deserve to be sitting on the Jefferson County School Board.
The students of Jeffco are closely watching this role model to see how he is handling his "fall from grace"(as he calls it). Will he accept the consequences of his actions by resigning as his board members have publicly and formally asked him to do? Or will he continue to even acknowledge the board's formal request of him? As a parent of two sons whom I have raised to respect and value women as well as men, I know what path I'd like him to take.
The Jeffco school board has worked tirelessly to gain the public trust and continue to improve its schools. What the board doesn't need or deserve is a distraction like Vince Chowdhury interfering with their future progress.
Truth Test Reveals Lies
Domestic abusers become very good liars and manipulators. They have to in order to survive. For some, it's a coping mechanism to justify their inappropriate behavior.
Vince Chowdhury is this type of person. In an interview with the Columbine Courier, Vince says in his 21 years of marriage, "I have never had any problems whatsoever." This statement may work with the general (unmarried) public who doesn't know Vince Chowdhury. It doesn't work with the people who have sat through at least one Jeffco school board meeting, his fellow Board of Education members who have publicly asked him to resign and gave him a July 25th deadline (which he didn't respond to), or the people who know his wife and daughters.
Many people have observed Vince Chowdhury display extreme behavior and "lose it" (using his own words) in public. Primarily, his outbursts of anger have been aimed at women.
Chowdhury goes on, in the Columbine Courier article, to say that he's working with his family to make it whole again. This must be very difficult to do with a protective order keeping him from any contact with his wife or daughters.
Finally, Chowdhury's words toward the end of the article reveals the mind of an abuser: "my commitment to our children has not changed..." Abusers follow a cycle of 1) honeymoon phase, 2) the normal phase, 3) the escalation phase and 4) the explosion phase. Vince is acting in the honeymoon phase where he's trying to re-establish himself by wooing people and expressing his sorrow. Vince is trying to rationalize his unacceptable behavior.
We are standing in support of Mrs. Chowdhury and her daughters. This cycle of domestic violence can only stop when one party steps out of the cycle. We recognize that this has likely gone on for years and this June 17th incident was the final straw.
Vince Chowdhury is this type of person. In an interview with the Columbine Courier, Vince says in his 21 years of marriage, "I have never had any problems whatsoever." This statement may work with the general (unmarried) public who doesn't know Vince Chowdhury. It doesn't work with the people who have sat through at least one Jeffco school board meeting, his fellow Board of Education members who have publicly asked him to resign and gave him a July 25th deadline (which he didn't respond to), or the people who know his wife and daughters.
Many people have observed Vince Chowdhury display extreme behavior and "lose it" (using his own words) in public. Primarily, his outbursts of anger have been aimed at women.
Chowdhury goes on, in the Columbine Courier article, to say that he's working with his family to make it whole again. This must be very difficult to do with a protective order keeping him from any contact with his wife or daughters.
Finally, Chowdhury's words toward the end of the article reveals the mind of an abuser: "my commitment to our children has not changed..." Abusers follow a cycle of 1) honeymoon phase, 2) the normal phase, 3) the escalation phase and 4) the explosion phase. Vince is acting in the honeymoon phase where he's trying to re-establish himself by wooing people and expressing his sorrow. Vince is trying to rationalize his unacceptable behavior.
We are standing in support of Mrs. Chowdhury and her daughters. This cycle of domestic violence can only stop when one party steps out of the cycle. We recognize that this has likely gone on for years and this June 17th incident was the final straw.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
What are People Saying about Vince Chowdhury's Arrest?
Just in case you've missed some of these, check out:
Rocky Mountain News, Aug 1
Rocky Mountain News, Aug. 1
Denver Post, Aug. 1
Face the State, Aug. 2
Face the State, Aug. 7
Lakewood Sentinel, Aug 7
Rocky Mountain News, Aug 1
Rocky Mountain News, Aug. 1
Denver Post, Aug. 1
Face the State, Aug. 2
Face the State, Aug. 7
Lakewood Sentinel, Aug 7
Friday, August 8, 2008
Day 14
Today is resignation deadline plus 14. The Jeffco Board of Education asked Vince Chowdhury to resign by July 25th. It's been 14 days since that deadline came and went without any response from Vince.
Fourteen days of disrespect to his fellow school board members, 14 days of disrespect to the voters of Jeffco, and 14 days of disrespect to the students of Jeffco who are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct even though their school board member is not.
We're encouraging parents, concerned citizens, and students to attend the Aug. 21st school board meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. However, we're asking people to be there by 5:30 since there will probably be limited parking and we'd like to make sure we're all there to greet Vince when he enters the front door of the district administration building. Hopefully, Vince will have resigned by then, but if not, many people will be asking Vince publicly to step down.
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